Department for Business and Trade

Overseas Trade

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recommendations of the UK Trade and Business Commission's report entitled Trading our way to prosperity, published May 2023.

Greg Hands: His Majesty’s Government is getting on with the job of delivering economic growth for the whole of the UK. Our trade strategy is to trade our way to prosperity. We are driving prosperity by seeking to strengthen the World Trade Organisation, reform the global rulebook, protect UK business, and open markets by signing high-quality trade deals and removing trade barriers.

Foreign Companies: Land

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she plans to take to achieve transparency over the ultimate ownership of UK land held by overseas entities where the legal owner and the beneficial owner of land are different.

Kevin Hollinrake: HM Land Registry holds publicly accessible records of the registered proprietors of land and buildings in England and Wales. If the registered proprietor is an overseas entity, information about the company and its beneficial owners is already publicly available on the Register of Overseas Entities, held by Companies House. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 will also require Overseas Entities acting as nominees to disclose their information to Companies House. The Government intends to launch a consultation on how to make trust information held on the Register of Overseas Entities more transparent.

Hospitality Industry and Retail Trade: Employment

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to help encourage people to enter careers in the (a) hospitality and (b) retail sectors.

Kevin Hollinrake: We regularly meet with businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors to identify and address skills needs. Immediate support includes: £900m annually for dedicated Work Coaches, adding hospitality and catering qualifications to the Free Courses for Jobs (part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee).A new employment scheme, The Hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP), has also been launched to upskill and match jobseekers with hospitality roles. Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are working with businesses to consider how best to strengthen recruitment, training and retention.The Retail Sector Council recently published a discussion document, Retail - The Great Enabler, inviting comments on the key challenges for the sector including skills and employment.

Foreign Companies: Property

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, both what steps she (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to recover property titles on the Register of Overseas Entities owned by overseas entities which have been dissolved or struck off without there first being an onward sale.

Kevin Hollinrake: The handling of overseas entities assets upon dissolution is based on the company's information and the location of the asset. If the asset is located in England or Wales, the Treasury Solicitor manages the assets. In Scotland, it's the King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer. In Northern Ireland, the Crown Solicitor's Office. Assets located in the Duchies of Cornwall or Lancaster are dealt with by their solicitors.My Department is responsible for compliance with the transparency obligations imposed on overseas entities owning UK property under the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022.

Limited Liability: Registration

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she he will take steps to expand the person of significant control regime to English and Welsh Limited Partnerships.

Kevin Hollinrake: There are currently no plans to expand the People with Significant Control framework to English and Welsh limited partnerships, which do not have a separate legal personality distinct from their partners.The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 makes the largest reforms to the law governing limited partnerships since 1907. Under these reforms, all general partners will have to verify their identities, and much more information will be required on the partners of all limited partnerships, leading to greater transparency. Companies House will also have greater powers to challenge, reject, share and remove suspicious information relating to limited partnerships.

Electric Vehicles: Bicycles

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will commission research into the causes of e-cycle battery fires.

Kevin Hollinrake: During the Summer my department, through the Office for Product Safety and Standards, commissioned new research into the types of batteries used in e-bikes (lithium-ion batteries) from Warwick Manufacturing Group – which is part of the University of Warwick.The research is looking at the root causes of such fires so that evidence driven, targeted and effective action can be taken to tackle the issue.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Homelessness: Temporary Accommodation

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of NAPpads on trends in the number of homeless people.

Felicity Buchan: No-one in our society should have to suffer the injustice of living a life on the streets. As part of the £2 billion we are spending to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping over three years, we are investing £13 million through the Night Shelter Transformation Fund to support the night shelter sector develop single-room emergency accommodation, with accompanying support, as the standard.

Land: Registration

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the average time taken to process first registrations of land at His Majesty’s Land Registry; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of pending registrations.

Lee Rowley: HM Land Registry (HMLR) publishes information each month about its latest processing times on GOV.UK here.Applications to HMLR can be expedited free of charge if registration is needed urgently for financial (including remortgaging), legal or personal reasons. More than 95% of expedited cases are processed within 10 days.HMLR recognises that it is not currently processing some non-urgent applications fast enough. Improving speed of service is the top priority for HMLR and it is addressing this urgently through a combination of recruitment, training, and automation. It also has specialist teams focussing on the oldest complex cases with a specific goal to reduce the processing times for these applications. These efforts have already seen a reduction in the overall age of applications with HMLR and it is committed to reducing waiting times further in the months ahead.

Public Houses: Planning

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a legal definition of a public house for planning purposes.

Lee Rowley: The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, as amended, makes explicit reference to public houses: ‘3 (6) (p) public houses, wine bars and drinking establishments’. Planning permission is always required for the material change of use of a pub.

Holiday Accommodation: Licensing

Steve Double: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish the Government's response to the consultation entitled Introduction of a use class for short term lets and associated permitted development rights which closed on 7 June 2023.

Lee Rowley: We are currently considering the responses received and will make further announcements in due course.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Gaza: Charities

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to support medical charities operating in Gaza.

Leo Docherty: The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Hospitals in the Occupied Palestinian Territories must be allowed to operate safely and treat the vulnerable, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. We are deeply concerned about the fuel shortages in Gaza. Fuel is necessary to allow humanitarian organisations to deliver assistance, power hospitals and operate desalinisation plants.The UK is supportive of limited and temporary cessations of hostilities as part of measures to facilitate the flow of life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza. It is crucial that we capitalise on the hostage deal to allow as much food, water, medical supplies and fuel as possible to reach vulnerable civilians in Gaza. This pause should act as a confidence-building mechanism for future pauses, including those solely on humanitarian grounds.Since 7 October, the UK Government has provided an additional £30 million in humanitarian funding and has sent more than 51 tonnes of emergency relief for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This funding will support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other trusted partners to respond to critical food, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary will continue to engage closely with regional counterparts including Israel and Egypt to allow sufficient medical supplies to flow into and through Gaza.

Occupied Territories: Violence

Dan Carden: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure accountability for acts of violence by settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

David Rutley: We strongly condemn all violence against Palestinians by settlers. Reports of Palestinian civilians being murdered by settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are appalling. The Foreign Secretary raised this issue in a call with the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs on 17 November. Israel must take tangible steps to grip settler violence, and to hold those responsible accountable. The Prime Minister has also raised this with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Cohen, and we have also stressed the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. As the Prime Minister said, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are also victims of Hamas. We continue to urge all sides not to take steps which would inflame tensions and move us away from the cause of peace.

Gaza: Security

Andrew Western: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on responsibility for the long-term security of Gaza.

David Rutley: Since Hamas' terror attacks on 7 October, the Prime Minister and former Foreign Secretary have spoken with counterparts from over 20 countries, including Israel, as part of extensive diplomatic efforts to sustain the prospect of peace and stability in the Middle East. As the Prime Minister has said, there is no scenario where Hamas can be allowed to control Gaza again. We want to see a move towards a peaceful Palestinian leadership as soon as is practicable. The longer-term governance of Gaza and security oversight needs to be looked at in the round, as part of a process towards a two-state solution which ensures Israel's security and provides a better future for the people of Gaza.

Hamas: Terrorism

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the news release of 18 October 2023 from Human Rights Watch, entitled Israel/Palestine: Videos of Hamas-Led Attacks Verified, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of the recommendation that the attacks by Hamas-led gunmen on 7 October 2023 should be investigated as war crimes.

David Rutley: It is for competent courts to determine if the barbaric attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October constitute war crimes, after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process. In the first instance, the Government would expect the Israeli domestic judicial system to investigate and, where appropriate, to try or extradite those accused of grave breaches of international law.

Gaza: Health Services

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Israel’s closure of the Erez crossing since 7 October 2023 on cancer patients in Gaza.

David Rutley: Hospitals in the Occupied Palestinian Territories must be allowed to operate safely and treat the vulnerable. We urge access into and out of Gaza and the West Bank for humanitarian actors, reconstruction materials and those, including Palestinians, travelling for medical purposes. The wounded and critically ill in Gaza and the West Bank should be able to access the urgent medical care they need. The UK Government welcomes any effort to cooperate between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, including in the healthcare sector. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary will continue to engage regularly and closely with their Israeli counterparts on this issue.

Gaza: Health Services

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the protection of healthcare (a) personnel and (b) infrastructure in Gaza since 7 October 2023.

David Rutley: The UK is aware of the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting which has documented a number of attacks against health care facilities since 7 October. The UK is clear that healthcare and other emergency services personnel, and civilian infrastructure including hospitals and medical facilities, shelters and water and sanitation systems must be protected in conflict. We have consistently urged Israel to ensure it adheres to International Humanitarian Law and takes all possible precautions to protect civilians, recognising that Hamas is embedded in parts of the civilian population. All states, including Israel, must exercise their legitimate right to self-defence in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, has stated that Israel will operate in accordance with international law. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary will continue to engage regularly and closely with their Israeli counterparts on this issue.

Hamas: Terrorism

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of Hamas terrorists that have been killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023.

David Rutley: The UK Government has not made an official estimate of the number of Hamas terrorists killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023. We continue to engage closely with the Government of Israel on the conflict.

Israel: Palestinians

Dan Carden: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has sought legal advice on the international legal framework governing the conduct of all parties to the conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

David Rutley: The Foreign Secretary receives legal advice as appropriate, on all matters related to foreign policy, including the conflict in Israel and Gaza, as part of advice from officials. All sides must abide by their international obligations and must respect International Humanitarian Law.

Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the Rafah crossing in Egypt to enable the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on transporting aid from Israel to Gaza.

David Rutley: The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary engage regularly and closely with regional counterparts including Israel and Egypt on the humanitarian response. The UK urges Israel to increase land access through the Rafah crossing as well as open other crossing points, in particular Kerem Shalom, so that aid can reach the people who so desperately need it. Humanitarian assistance allowed into Gaza needs to include food, water, medical supplies and fuel as a priority. The Prime Minister has also been very clear about the need for sustained humanitarian pauses, so humanitarian organisations can deliver aid safely at scale and civilians move freely. The UK Government has already announced £30 million in humanitarian funding, more than doubling our existing budget this financial year, and has sent more than 51 tonnes of aid as well as equipment specifically requested by the Egyptian Red Crescent to help the efficiency of the international aid response, including lifesaving items such as wound care packs and water filters.

Yemen: Violence

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what estimate his Department has made of the extent of violence against civilians in Yemen.

David Rutley: Civilian casualties in Yemen have remained largely unchanged, despite truce-like conditions over the past eighteen months having reduced frontline violence. 500 fatalities and 1300 injuries were recorded among civilians in the year up to September 2023. Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) continues to be perpetrated, including in detention as a form of torture. According to the International Organisation for Migration, over 77,000 migrants from the Horn of Africa remain at risk in Yemen from human rights violations including torture, violence, and trafficking.

Gaza: Hospitals

Andrew Western: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent conversations with his Israeli counterpart on the protection of civilian life in Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital.

David Rutley: Hospitals in Gaza must be allowed to operate safely and treat the vulnerable. We continue to impress upon Israel the need to comply with International Humanitarian Law and take all possible precautions to protect civilians, and we will continue to do so. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon posted on X (formerly twitter) on 12 November that he is deeply distressed by the loss of life in Gaza's hospitals. On 10 November in the UN Security Council, the UK stressed that all parties to the conflict must abide by International Humanitarian Law, including by protecting civilians, civilian infrastructure and hospitals.

Western Sahara: Peace Negotiations

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the security situation in Western Sahara; and what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help promote a peaceful solution to the conflict.

David Rutley: The UK supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 2703 on 30 October, which renewed the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) mandate for 12 months. The UK supports UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. We strongly support the work of Staffan de Mistura, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General and welcome the recent efforts of all concerned to engage with the Envoy and to facilitate his recent visits to the region, including to Western Sahara. We will continue to engage key partners to encourage constructive engagement with the political process.

Israel and Ukraine: Armed Forces

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if his Department will issue guidance to UK citizens on the legal implications of volunteering in (a) Ukraine and (b) the Israeli Defence Force.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: The UK recognises the right of British nationals with additional nationalities to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationalities. The Israel Defence Force is a recognised armed force and British nationals are both able to volunteer into the Israel Defence Force and eligible for national service. For Israel, one does not have to be Israeli to serve in the Israel Defence Force.FCDO travel advice provides British nationals with information on the risks of travelling or living abroad. The FCDO provides advice to British nationals on the risks of travelling to Ukraine to fight. This guidance can be found on Gov.uk; https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ukraine/safety-and-security

Alaa Abdel Fattah

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, when he last held discussions with his Egyptian counterpart on the case of Alaa Abdel Fattah.

David Rutley: Ministers and officials continue to raise Mr El-Fattah's case at the highest levels with the Egyptian Government and have been consistently clear in our calls for his release, whilst continuing to press the need for urgent consular access. The Prime Minister raised Mr El-Fattah's case with President Sisi on 20 October. The former Foreign Secretary has raised Mr El-Fattah's case on several occasions with Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry, most recently on 18 September. The Minister of State for Development and Africa, Rt Hon. Andrew Mitchell, has also raised the case with the Egyptian authorities, most recently on 15 November during his visit to Cairo. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, continues to raise his case with the Egyptian Ambassador and with Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry.

European Convention on Human Rights

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to (a) renegotiate adhesion to the European Convention on Human Rights and (b) hold a referendum on remaining a party to that treaty.

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to (a) renegotiate the UK's membership of the European Convention on Human Rights and (b) hold a referendum on remaining a member of that treaty.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK has a longstanding tradition of ensuring rights and liberties are protected and abiding by the rule of law, both domestically and internationally. The Government remains committed to that position and will ensure that our laws continue to be fit for purpose and work for the people of the UK. As the Prime Minister has said, if it becomes clear that our domestic laws or international conventions are frustrating our priority of stopping the boats, we are prepared to change those laws and revisit those relationships.

Development Aid: Children

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to support disabled children abroad.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ambition is for all children with disabilities to realise their right to education, equipped with the foundational skills and knowledge to lead fulfilling lives, and to learn in an environment that is inclusive, accessible, safe from all forms of violence, and free from discrimination.Through the FCDO's Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy and Girls' Education Action Plan, we have committed to prioritise interventions that tackle the barriers that children with disabilities experience in accessing quality education.The Girls' Education Challenge has supported 154,386 girls with disabilities to attend school and the programme has provided over 5,000 assistive devices to learners who need them and addressed stigma and discrimination at community and school level to make it easier for children with disabilities to access schools.Our Disability Inclusive Development programme is testing 'what works' in providing children with disabilities quality inclusive education in Nepal, Nigeria and Tanzania. The programme has already supported the education of 1,684 children with disabilities and the lessons learnt are being shared across FCDO's network of education programmes as well as being published as a global public good.

Development Aid: Education

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an estimate of the total value spent by his Department supporting educational opportunities worldwide in each of the last five years.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is one of the most generous global aid donors, spending nearly £12.8 billion in aid in 2022. Education is an important international development priority. From 2018 to 2022, the FCDO (including former DfID) is estimated to have spent £2.5 billion in bilateral education ODA. The UK is estimated to have spent £906 million in multilateral education ODA from 2018 to 2021. UK support to education also extends beyond financing, to include country partnerships; influential research and expertise; and encouraging global financing from other partners.

Treasury

International Monetary Fund and World Bank: Morocco

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the outcome of his meeting with his Moroccan counterpart at the Annual Meeting of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund 2023.

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to strengthen economic relations with Morocco.

Bim Afolami: During the IMF Annual Meetings, the Chancellor met with Ms Nadia Fettah Alaoui, the Moroccan Minister of Finance. The UK works closely with Morocco to maximise cooperation in a number of areas, including in bilateral trade and investment. The UK Morocco Association Agreement, which entered into force in January 2021, facilitates this trading relationship. Under this agreement, bilateral trade between the United Kingdom and Morocco was worth £3.4 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2023, up £661 million on the same period the previous year. The Government frequently engages with Morocco to promote and support green investment into Morocco, while the UK and Morocco are co-leads on the Power Breakthrough, which aims to make clean power the most affordable and reliable option for all countries by 2030.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence Police

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Minister in his Department has overall responsibility for the MOD Police.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) is a statutory civilian police force established by the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987. The force provides specialist armed policing services to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), other Government Departments and US Visiting Forces. The MDP is an enabling organisation within the MOD. Defence Ministers with responsibility for the MDP include: Dr Andrew Murrison. Appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Defence People and Families) on 30 October 2022. The Earl of Minto. Appointed as Minister of State in the House of Lords in November 2023, and is spokesperson on all Defence matters.

Ministry of Defence Police: Staff

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were employed by the Ministry of Defence Police in each year since 2010.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The strength number for the Ministry of Defence Police on 31 March each year since 2010 is:Year20102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023MDP ¹34643302294926602497250325362570253325152643276827012593NUCS ² 433480351253254235197196214227235230221Total 3735342930112750275727712767272927292869300329312814¹ Ministry of Defence Police officers² Non-uniformed Civil Servants

Ministry of Defence Police: Finance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual budget was for the Ministry of Defence Police for each year since 2010.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The annual budget for the Ministry of Defence Police on 31 March each year, since 2010 is given below Year2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-192019-202020-212021-222022-23Budget (£million)154.8140.8138.8135.3136.2133.1129.5130.4139.1152.5156.5167.2161.3

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the air defence capabilities provided to Ukraine in each month since February 2022.

James Heappey: To date we have provided Ukraine with short and long-range air defence systems and thousands of missiles. Air defence will continue to be a priority area for support in the coming months, in particular the protection of Ukraine's critical national infrastructure during the winter.We cannot provide a detailed breakdown of specific systems and dates of delivery for operational security reasons.

Armed Forces: Rehabilitation

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vacancies there are in his Department for (a) physiotherapists and (b) rehabilitation support workers in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Northern Ireland, (iv) Wales and (v) overseas.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Defence currently has the correct number of regular and reserve military physiotherapists in place. There are currently 51 vacant civilian physiotherapy posts and 5 vacant civilian Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor posts. Data is not centrally held on the geographic location of these vacancies.

Armed Forces: Rehabilitation

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many full time equivalent rehabilitation support workers who are not Health and Care Professions Council registered are deployed in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) Wales and (e) overseas as of 16 November 2023.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Rehabilitation Support Workers are known as Exercise Rehabilitation Instructors (ERIs). There is no requirement for ERIs to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. As at 16 November 2023 there were a total of 289 ERIs. Of this figure 175 are employed within the British Army, 19 within the Royal Navy, 33 within the Royal Air Force and 62 civilians. Data is not centrally held on the geographic location of these personnel.

Ministry of Defence: Physiotherapy

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many full-time equivalent civilian physiotherapists employed by his Department are deployed in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) Wales and (e) overseas as of 16 November 2023.

Dr Andrew Murrison: As at 31 October 2023, there were 261 full-time equivalent civilian physiotherapists. Data is not centrally held on the geographic location of these personnel.

National Cyber Force

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the new headquarters of the National Cyber Force to be (a) completed and (b) operational.

James Heappey: The National Cyber Force (NCF) headquarters in Samlesbury is currently undergoing construction work. It will open in 2025, and the NCF is planning for several hundred staff to be based there within the first 12 months.

Armed Forces: Physiotherapy

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many full time equivalent full-time military reserve physiotherapists are deployed in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) Wales and (e) overseas as of 16 November 2023.

Dr Andrew Murrison: As at 1 July 2023, the Defence Medical Services Bi-Annual Workforce Return indicated there were 68 military reserve physiotherapists, of which 60 were within the British Army and eight within the Royal Air Force. None of these physiotherapists are employed in full time Defence roles. Data is not centrally held on the geographic location of these personnel.

Ministry of Defence Police: Staff

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel employed in the MOD Police work on (a) intelligence and (b) investigations.

Dr Andrew Murrison: There are approximately 83 members of staff involved in police intelligence and investigations roles within the MOD Police. It is not straightforward to provide a split between the two as many of the roles will include an element of both.

Ukraine: Armed Forces

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ukrainian Marines have been trained by the Armed Forces since February 2022.

James Heappey: Nearly 1,000 Ukrainian marines have been trained by UK Armed Forces personnel since February 2022.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to tackle (a) rape, (b) sexual assault and (c) sexual harassment towards women serving in the Armed Forces.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to tackle (a) rape, (b) sexual assault and (c) sexual harassment towards women training at Armed Forces colleges.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Defence has made it clear there is zero tolerance to any form of unacceptable sexual behaviour, and this includes sexual offences. Under the Ministry of Defence’s Zero Tolerance Part One (Sexual Offences and Instructor/Trainee Relationships) policy, for all Service People who are convicted of a sexual offence, or who are placed on the Sex Offenders Register there is a mandatory presumption of discharge from the Armed Forces. Similarly, for Zero Tolerance Part Two (Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour – A Victim/Survivor Focused Approach), there is a presumption of discharge for those found in breach of this policy. Defence is working to ensure that victims of unacceptable sexual behaviour trust they can report such behaviour, have confidence that their complaint will be investigated in an appropriate and sensitive way, that appropriate action will be taken and that they will be supported throughout any investigation. Commanding Officers are directed to take this responsibility to victims extremely seriously and any indications that a sexual offence has taken place must be referred to the Service Police. Ignorance of the policies will not be accepted as an excuse for unacceptable behaviours and an awareness package has been rolled out across Chains of Command. The Defence Serious Crime Unit, formed in December 2022, has the jurisdiction to investigate the most serious and complex crimes alleged to have been committed by persons subject to service law in both the UK and overseas, including sexual offences, domestic abuse and offences of violence.

Typhoon Aircraft

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the readiness days were for the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon fighter jet fleet in each year since 2010.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the readiness days were for the F-35 fleet in each year since 2010.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the readiness days were for the Royal Air Force’s C-17 transport plane fleet in each year since 2010.

James Cartlidge: The answer could only be provided for each individual airframe tail number at disproportionate cost. Readiness Days of individual aircraft or fleets are not a metric the RAF tracks. The main metric of availability and readiness for RAF aircraft is the number of aircraft in the Forward Fleet each day. This fluctuates daily, as aircraft enter and leave scheduled maintenance, upgrades or storage in the Sustainment Fleet. Consequently, it is usually provided as a spot figure for each Question.

Challenger Tanks

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the readiness days were for the Army’s Challenger II main battle tanks in each year since 2010.

James Cartlidge: The British Army does not operate using "readiness days". The readiness of their platforms is driven by the Army readiness order, which states the quantity of platforms to be ready to deploy at any point in time.A number of Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks are held at readiness 365 days a year. I am withholding further details for reasons of operational security.

Armed Forces: Vehicles

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will publish the Uncrewed Systems strategy.

James Cartlidge: Yes.

Armed Forces: Vehicles

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's planned timescale is to complete its Uncrewed Systems Strategy.

James Cartlidge: The Department continues to prepare an Uncrewed Systems strategy. We have not yet set a final deadline for publication.

Defence: Standards

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of his Department's active programmes are more than 28 days behind the original programme schedule.

James Cartlidge: This information is not held centrally and once gathered may be commercially or security sensitive. The Ministry of Defence released Project Performance Information in relation to In-Service Dates in support of the Defence Equipment Plan that can be found at: The defence equipment plan 2022 to 2032 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Defence: Inflation

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how his Department plans to mitigate the potential impact of high inflation on defence programmes.

James Cartlidge: Inflation is a pressing concern for Defence and we are taking steps to actively manage it. A number of our existing controls continue to shield us from the full impact of rising prices. We have used pricing mechanisms where inflation risk sits with suppliers to prevented higher prices for our contacts being passed on to us. We have also engaged in the forward purchasing of fuels, utilities and foreign exchange, which have provided stability in these recently volatile markets. Furthermore, we have implemented changes to commercial policy to manage inflation such as making greater use of index-linked fixed price contracts and engaging with our main suppliers to discuss how inflation will be treated in future contracts. Finally, we have worked closely with the Treasury to support the halving of inflation.

Ministry of Defence Police: Staff

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel employed in the MOD Police work in (a) administration, (b) finance and (c) legal advice roles.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Police allocate roles to ‘professions’. Administration is not an MOD Police ‘profession’. There are many roles across the MOD Police which involve administration, but it is not straightforward to provide precise figures for this.Finance is a ‘profession’ and there are 8.68 full time equivalent staff employed in finance roles.There are no legal roles within MOD Police. Legal advice is provided by Government Legal Department.

Royal Military Academy: Foreign Nationals

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many foreign military personnel have trained at RMA Sandhurst for each year since 2010; and if he will publish a list of these figures per nationality.

Dr Andrew Murrison: 1,347 foreign military personnel have trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst since 2010. The attached table shows a breakdown by nationality and year.RMA Sandhurst; Foreign trained military personnel (xlsx, 24.4KB)

Department of Health and Social Care

Menopause: Autism and Learning Disability

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to provide tailored information about menopause for (a) autistic people and (b) people with learning disabilities.

Maria Caulfield: We have launched a women’s health area on the National Health Service website, alongside new and updated pages which includes a menopause page and a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medicines hub. The NHS England Menopause Improvement Programme has created ‘The Menopause’ factsheet which will help individuals understand and manage their perimenopause and menopause and direct them to further sources of information.NHS organisations and publicly funded social care providers must comply with the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) to meet the communication needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss. NHS England has completed a review of the AIS to help ensure that everyone’s communication needs are met in health and care provision. The revised standard will be published in due course.Following publication, NHS England will continue work to support implementation with awareness raising, communication and engagement and updated e-learning modules on the AIS to ensure NHS staff are better aware of the standard and their roles and responsibilities in implementing it.

Menopause: Disability

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to assess the healthcare needs of disabled people with (a) neurodivergence, (b) learning disabilities and (c) other conditions during menopause.

Maria Caulfield: No assessment has been made. The Department and the National Health Service are implementing a programme of work to improve menopause care so all women can access the support they need. Under the Equality Act 2010, public sector organisations are already required to make changes in their approach or provision to ensure that services are accessible to disabled people as well as to everybody else. To make it easier for people with a learning disability and autistic people to use health services, NHS England is working to improve the use and recording of reasonable adjustments to ensure care is tailored appropriately. All organisations that provide NHS care are required to follow the Accessible Information Standard which aims to ensure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss are provided with information that they can easily read or understand and can communicate effectively with services. People over the age of 14 with a learning disability can receive an annual health check to maintain their health. This can identify undetected health conditions early and ensure the appropriateness of ongoing treatments.

Menopause: Autism

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she has taken to ensure that her policies on the menopause take into account the experiences of autistic people.

Maria Caulfield: Menopause is a priority area within the Women’s Health Strategy, and the Department and the National Health Service are implementing a programme of work to improve menopause care so all women, including those who are autistic, can access the support they need. The NHS England National Menopause Care Improvement Programme is working to improve clinical menopause care in England and reduce disparities in access to treatment. The programme aims to ensure that individuals receiving menopause care are listened to and heard, including autistic people and women who are neurodiverse.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing GPs to prescribe a covid-19 booster vaccination to vulnerable patients not specifically listed as being in a clinical risk group.

Maria Caulfield: The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises Government health departments on immunisations and the prevention of infectious disease. On 8 August 2023, the Government accepted advice from the JCVI on who should be offered vaccination in autumn 2023. This includes residents and staff in a care home for older adults, all adults aged 65 years old and over, persons aged six months to 64 years old in a clinical risk group, frontline health and social care workers, persons aged 12 to 64 years old who are household contacts and persons aged 16 to 64 years old who are carers.The clinical risk groups for COVID-19 vaccination are defined in the UK Health Security Agency’s ‘Green Book’ on vaccines and immunisation Chapter 14a tables 3 and 4. However, as stated in the Green Book, the examples of eligible conditions in these tables are not exhaustive. Within these broad groups, the prescriber may need to apply clinical judgment to consider the risk of COVID-19 exacerbating any underlying condition that a patient may have, as well as the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 itself. The fact that an individual condition is not explicitly cited in the Green Book should therefore not prevent vaccination being offered where clinically appropriate.

Midwives: Training

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of midwives trained in England.

Maria Caulfield: Nationally, since 2021 we have invested an additional £165 million a year to improve maternity and neonatal care, this will rise to an additional £186 million a year from 2024/25 with part year effect in 2023/24. This will improve the quality of care for mothers and babies and increase the number of midwifery posts available.The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take to deliver an NHS workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years.As part of the plan, we aim to expand the number of midwifery training places from 3,778 to 4,269 by 2028.The plan also sets out an ambition for 5% of midwives to train through an apprenticeship by 2028, compared to less than 1% currently.

Infectious Diseases

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to reduce infection rates in winter.

Maria Caulfield: This winter, based on the latest scientific evidence, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended a seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccination for eligible cohorts including adults aged 65 years old and over and those with specified underlying health conditions.The National Health Service flu and COVID-19 vaccination programmes provide vital protection to those eligible and their families over winter, keeping people from developing serious illnesses, and helping to minimise hospitalisations during busy winter months.This year’s autumn flu and COVID-19 vaccine programmes started on 11 September 2023 in England as a precautionary measure following the identification a new COVID-19 variant (BA 2.86). As of 16 November 2023, over 25.2 million autumn vaccinations for COVID and flu have been administered since the start of campaign on 11 September 2023 - making this the fastest flu rollout on record and the fastest ever rollout of COVID-19 vaccination to care home residents.Additionally, on the 1 November 2023 the ‘Get winter strong’ campaign was launched, urging those eligible who’ve not yet come forward for the flu and COVID-19 vaccines to ‘get winter strong’ and join the millions of others in taking up the offer ahead of the festive and new year season when flu and COVID-19 infections are likely to increase.The JCVI recognises that there is a significant burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) illness in the UK population and unmet public health need which has a considerable impact on NHS services during the winter months. Officials across the Department, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England are developing policy options at speed based on JCVI’s advice regarding an expanded RSV immunisation programme to protect infants and older adults.

Bacterial Diseases

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the (a) UK Health and Security Agency and (b) Office for Health Improvement and Disparities have made of the potential impact of oral bacterial infections on people’s health.

Maria Caulfield: The National Health Service has published advice on treatment of dental abscesses caused by infection which can be found at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dental-abscess/.The National Dental Survey Programme also provides information on oral health improvement with further resources, including on dental antimicrobial stewardship which can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/oral-health.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of coordination of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccination programme for infants and older adults with seasonal influenza and covid-19 vaccination programmes.

Maria Caulfield: Officials across the Department, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England are developing policy options based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice regarding an expanded respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation programme to protect infants and older adults. A final decision will be made in due course. Policy considerations include coordinating delivery with other programmes such as influenza, COVID-19 and other national immunisation programmes. NHS England is responsible for operational considerations and UKHSA is responsible for clinical advice on the coordination of vaccinations.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the independent report of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, updated on 11 September 2023, what plans he has to develop a new vaccine programme to protect infants and over 75s against Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Maria Caulfield: Officials across the Department, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England are developing policy options based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice regarding an expanded respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation programme to protect infants and older adults. A final decision will be made in due course.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs

Ed Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support her Department is offering to patients unable to access medication for ADHD.

Ed Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she plans to take to increase the supply of (a) Lisdexamfetamine, (b) Methylphenidate and (c) other ADHD medication.

Ed Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve the availability of ADHD medication; and whether her Department has held recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on the availability of ADHD medication.

Andrew Stephenson: We are aware of disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) including lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate, primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites.We have issued communications to the National Health Service to advise healthcare professionals on management of patients whilst there continue to be disruptions to supplies. Patients are advised to speak to their clinician regarding any concerns they have and to discuss the suitability of treatment with alternative medicines where necessary. We understand how frustrating and distressing medicine shortages can be. We are working with the respective manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and meet with them very regularly to help ensure that action is taken to improve the availability of ADHD medicines in the United Kingdom, in the short, medium, and long term.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drugs

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to tackle shortages in the supply of ADHD medicines.

Andrew Stephenson: We are aware of disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. We understand how frustrating and distressing medicine shortages can be and we want to assure patients that we are working with the respective manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and to ensure patients have continuous access to ADHD medicines in the United Kingdom, in the short and long term. We have issued communications to the National Health Service to advise healthcare professionals on management of patients whilst there continue to be disruptions to supplies. Patients are advised to speak to their clinician regarding any concerns they have and to discuss the suitability of treatment with alternative medicines.

NHS: Drugs

Tahir Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessments his Department has made of the implications for his policies of (a) supply shortages and (b) manufacturing problems of drugs used by the NHS.

Andrew Stephenson: Medicine supply problems can occur for several reasons. For example, they can be due to manufacturing difficulties, regulatory problems, problems with the supply of raw materials, sudden demand spikes or from issues which are related to the distribution of the product. The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. Occasionally, the National Health Service experiences temporary shortages of specific medicines We know how distressing the possibility of shortages can be, however the Department has well-established processes to prevent, manage and mitigate medicine shortages when they do occur. We work with the pharmaceutical industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, NHS England, the devolved governments and others operating in the supply chain to strengthen the resilience of supply chains and help ensure patients have access to the treatments they need.

Kidney Diseases: Social Services

Carla Lockhart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help improve NHS (a) social and (b) emotional care for people living with kidney disease.

Andrew Stephenson: In England, care for patients with chronic kidney disease is addressed through the specialised service specifications for renal services. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations providing specialised care and, for renal services, they require patients to have access to psychology services and social work advice as a core component of a multi-disciplinary team.NHS England, through its Renal Services Transformation Programme (RSTP) and regional renal clinical networks, is progressing a series of programmes to: provide better and more joined-up care across care settings; reduce health inequalities; and focus on prevention and timely intervention, through streamlined patient pathways to address management of deteriorating kidney disease. Psychosocial support within renal services has been identified by the RSTP as a theme for improvement.

Pancreatic Cancer

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department plans to take to improve (a) outcomes and (b) survival rates for people with pancreatic cancer; and if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the report by Pancreatic Cancer UK entitled Don’t Write Me Off.

Andrew Stephenson: NHS England is delivering a range of interventions that are expected to increase early diagnosis and improve outcomes for those with pancreatic cancer. This includes providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk to identify lesions before they develop into cancer and diagnose cancers sooner, creating new pathways to support faster referral routes for people with non-specific symptoms that could be linked to a range of cancer types, and increasing direct access for general practitioners to diagnostic tests. A group has been formed to consider a pathway for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary cancers, including pancreatic cancer.NHS England is also funding a new audit into pancreatic cancer to provide regular and timely evidence to cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, to increase the consistency of access to treatments and to stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients.In addition to this, the Getting it Right First-Time team in NHS England is undertaking a deep dive into pancreatic cancer, which will highlight actions National Health Service providers need to take to improve services, as well as gathering examples of good practice to share.The Department does not currently intend to undertake an assessment of the Don’t Write Me Off report as NHS England is already taking steps to improving pancreatic care pathways.

Home Office

Animal Experiments: Licensing

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for project licences to conduct experiments on animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were refused permission in the period between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022.

Tom Tugendhat: From 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022, no applications for a project licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have been refused. The number of applications refused is not an indicator for the robustness of the regulatory regime.The Government publishes extensive guidance for the regulated sector on applying for project licences. Applications are internally reviewed by an establishment’s Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body before being submitted to the regulator for assessment.Applications received by the regulator are frequently returned to the applicant for reconsideration. Applicants may amend or withdraw an application in response to feedback from the regulator.

Demonstrations: Palestinians

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of reports that Muhammed Kathem Sawalha assisted in organising recent pro-Palestinian protests in London.

Chris Philp: The management of protests is an operational matter for the police, as are decisions around investigations.The Government is committed to supporting the police in the robust use of their existing powers to prevent the incitement of hatred, disorder and disruption.

Tenants: Exploitation

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to ensure that the police fully investigate cases in which women have alleged that they have been exploited by their landlords; and if he will ensure that during those investigations any other tenants of the same landlord are also interviewed.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department has issued to the police on letting tenants living in a landlord's properties if that landlord has been convicted of exploiting another tenant.

Chris Philp: Everyone should be able to feel safe in their home and the sexual exploitation of tenants has no place in our society. It is important that local authorities and the police work collaboratively to tackle this issue and take action against criminal landlords.The Renters (Reform) Bill includes provisions which will help to drive out criminal behaviour. These include increased investigatory and enforcement powers to help local authorities crack down on criminal landlords, and amending the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 to provide local authorities with new powers to issue fines, as an alternative to prosecution, to those who illegally evict or harass tenants.Furthermore, the Government launched a call for evidence on ‘sex-for-rent’ arrangements, which closed on 30 June. We are currently analysing the results and will provide a response in due course. There are existing criminal offences in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 that may address this practice and both the police and Crown Prosecution Service have produced guidance on it.

Refugee Convention

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK meets its obligations to refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Robert Jenrick: All asylum claims admitted to the UK are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our legal obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information.Our assessment of the situation of a given group in a given country is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on GOV.UK.

Refugees: Rwanda

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question 36865 on Refugees: Rwanda, how many refugees from Rwanda have been resettled in the UK under the Migration and Economic Development Partnership; and if he will take steps to publish this data each month.

Robert Jenrick: The Migration and Economic Development Partnership has not yet been operationalised.

Asylum: Hendon

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people resident in the Hendon constituency were removed after their asylum appeal was rejected in each of the last five years.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an estimate of the number of individuals that remain in the Hendon constituency having had their asylum appeals rejected within the last 20 years.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time taken is for people whose asylum appeal has been rejected to (a) voluntarily leave and (b) be removed from the UK.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office publishes data on returns and asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.Data on asylum appeals lodged and determined (including those dismissed) by year are published in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the ‘Asylum appeals lodged and determined detailed datasets’. The data are not broken down by how many people remain in a constituency followed a dismissed asylum appeal.Data on asylum-related returns by year and return type are published in table Ret_05 of the ‘Returns summary tables’. The data are not broken down by the constituency the individual lived in prior to their return or whether the return followed a dismissed asylum appeal.

Department for Work and Pensions

Jobcentres: Assistive Technology

Andrew Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of jobcentres have specialist assistive technology installed on their customer computer kiosks to support those who are (a) deaf and blind and (b) have complex disabilities.

Jo Churchill: As part of its commitment to make services accessible to all customers, the Department provides computers for customer use in Jobcentres. All the computers have assistive technology built into those Operating Systems such as screen readers and screen magnification and are managed separately from the wider DWP IT estate.The Department also provides a range of other items in Jobcentres such as alternative keyboards. Computers for customer use with assistive technology are currently in 635 permanent jobcentres.

Jobcentres: Training

Andrew Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of work coaches in job centres have received disability equality training as of 15 November 2023.

Jo Churchill: We are unable to provide the information you have requested as it is not centrally collected and would incur disproportionate costs. However, all DWP Work Coaches undergo comprehensive learning to support customers with disabilities, and they continue to build on this in the workplace through accessing point of need learning products. This includes all Work Coaches undertaking the Public Sector Equality Duty learning which was mandated for all Civil Servants by the Cabinet Office. Work Coaches are also signposted to tools, guidance, and websites (internal and external), so that they have access to the most up to date advice and expertise to help them better support those with disabilities or health conditions. Work Coaches are also supported by Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs) within Jobcentres. More information on DEAs can be found here https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-05-22/186157.

Department for Education

T-levels

Tahir Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the uptake of T-level qualifications.

Robert Halfon: In order to raise awareness of T Levels, and to ensure that as many young people as possible benefit from these qualifications, the department has invested around £11 million in national communications campaigns. These campaigns will continue into at least 2025.The department continues to work with the Careers and Enterprise Company and Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme to ensure students make informed decisions about qualifications at 16. In addition, the department has provided additional funding for all T Level providers to help them to promote T Levels locally in this financial year.To support providers in scaling up their T Level provision, the department announced a 10% increase to the national funding rates for T Levels for the 2023/24 academic year. The department has also committed over £450 million in capital funding to ensure T Level students have access to high quality facilities and equipment. To help staff prepare to deliver T Levels, the T Level Professional Development programme continues to offer free support, with over 18,000 individuals in further education providers and schools benefitting.Industry placements are a critical part of the T Level and the department is committed to ensuring a strong pipeline of employers across all sectors are ready to offer placements. The department has introduced a range of flexibilities to ensure that industry placements are deliverable across all industries. Since 2018/19 over £250 million has been invested in capacity funding to help providers build relationships with employers and secure high-quality industry placements. The department has also recently introduced a £12 million Employer Support Fund to support employers with the costs incurred when delivering placements in the 2023/24 financial year.

Apprentices: Taxation

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on reform of the Apprenticeship Levy to support training needs in the road haulage sector.

Robert Halfon: This department continues to work closely with the Department for Transport and across government to ensure that the road haulage sector has access to the skills training that employers need. This engagement has led to important improvements to apprenticeships and skills bootcamps. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not met with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport to discuss reform of the apprenticeship levy.The apprenticeship levy has enabled the department to increase investment to a total of £2.7 billion by 2024/25, which will support apprenticeship starts across every sector, including road haulage. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education regularly reviews the funding for apprenticeship standards. The department has recently increased funding for the heavy goods vehicle service and maintenance technician apprenticeship standard by 33% (from £15,000 to £20,000), the large goods vehicle apprenticeship standard by 14% (£7,000 to £8,000) and the motor vehicle service technician apprenticeship standard by 7% (£15,000 to £16,000). These increases are supporting providers deliver essential training across the sector.In response to supply issues for driver training and testing in the transport sector, the department also introduced temporary arrangements through the apprenticeship system, so that more providers could deliver training and testing for the acquisition of a driving license.Skills bootcamps are also providing opportunities for people to train as drivers, gain their licenses and launch new careers in road haulage sector. The department has invested up to £32 million to create up to 11,000 HGV driver training places, with further funding being allocated to support this training offer in the 2023/24 financial year.

Schools: Sports

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department are taking to ensure that developers are installing school sports pitches that are (a) safe and (b) meet quality standards.

Damian Hinds: The department does not monitor playing fields installed by developers. This is a matter for local planning authorities. Sport England are statutory consultees on planning applications which include outdoor PE facilities. They also provide separate guidance on good practice.The School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 set regulations for physical education, including the playing of games outdoors. They are available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1943/introduction/made.The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 include the same regulation for independent schools, including academies. The Education Regulations are available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/3283/made.Building Bulletin 103 and 104 (BB103/4) at Area guidelines and net capacity provide non-statutory guidance on what site area is needed to provide sufficient sports pitches for any school, depending on the type, age range and size. The guidelines are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/area-guidelines-and-net-capacity. Local Planning Authorities can require BB103/4 minimum standards to ensure that the site area will support the PE facilities needed.The department’s Output Specification for new and refurbished school grounds applies to all school projects directly funded by the department. These are published and can be used by local authorities to set standards.

Academies: Inspections

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department are taking to inspect multi academy trusts.

Damian Hinds: Academy trusts are held to high standards of governance and transparency, as companies, charities, and public sector bodies.Ofsted inspection takes place at the level of each individual school within a trust, which provides accountability and transparency for parents around the education their child receives. At the trust level, the department has a broader framework of accountability, which both looks at the performance of their schools, and focuses on high standards of governance and financial management, while also recognising that trusts operate on very different models and in different contexts.In July, the department published a new framework for commissioning multi-academy trusts. The framework provides descriptions of what the department expects of high-quality trusts and sets out the evidence Regional Directors will use when making decisions to place a school with a trust. It represents an ambitious vision for the academies sector, and a driver of high standards.The department’s regional directors and their teams, together with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), provide robust educational and financial oversight of all academy trusts.Where non-financial or financial non-compliance or governance failure is identified, Regions Group or the ESFA respectively will intervene, in a way that is proportionate to the risk and preserves education provision. This can include issuing a trust with a notice to improve or, in the most serious cases, termination of the funding agreement.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Energy and Industry

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to public communications issued through her Departmental website, what criteria her Department uses to assess whether an (a) industry and (b) source of energy is green.

Graham Stuart: The Department typically uses the terms “clean”, which is based on analysis of resource and environmental sustainability, on an individual project or technology basis, and “low carbon”, which is about carbon emissions relative to traditional alternatives. In the 2023 Green Finance Strategy, Government recommitted to consult on and implement a usable and useful UK Green Taxonomy – a tool to provide investors with definitional certainty about the green economic activities they are invested in. The Taxonomy can also increase financing of activities for the transition to net zero and improve market integrity.

Energy: Prices

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to help people who are living off the energy grid in rural areas with energy costs in winter 2023-24.

Amanda Solloway: The Government understands there are approximately 2 million households in the UK who utilise heating oil as a source of energy. Fortunately, oil prices have fallen significantly from their 2022 peak and so there are currently no plans for the Alternative Fuel Payment scheme to be renewed for winter 2023/24. However, the Government will continue to monitor the situation and will keep options under review, including with respect to those households most vulnerable to unexpected price shocks if the market changes.

Fuel Poverty

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of households that spent more than 10% of their income on energy costs in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

Amanda Solloway: The latest official Fuel Poverty Statistics for England were published in February 2023 which can be found on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics#2022- StatisticsIn addition to reporting against the official fuel poverty metric for England, these statistics also included an affordability measure of the number of households who are required to spend more than 10 per cent of their income on domestic energy. These can be found in Annex D: Affordability measures for England, of the annual report.

Energy: Social Tariffs

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will introduce a government-funded discounted social energy tariff for (a) disabled people, (b) unpaid carers and (c) people on lower incomes.

Amanda Solloway: The Government is providing Cost of Living Payments for those who face wider affordability challenges, including £900 to households on means tested benefits, of £300 to pensioner households and of £150 to those on eligible disability benefits. This is in addition to ongoing winter support payments such as the Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payments. The Government continues to monitor the situation and will keep options under review, including with respect to the most vulnerable households.

Energy: Standing Charges

Tahir Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will have discussions with energy regulators on reducing standing charges.

Amanda Solloway: I regularly meet with Ofgem to discuss the energy retail market, including standing charges. On 16th November, Ofgem announced a call for input on standing charges. Government welcomes this and looks forward to Ofgem’s conclusions.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish the number of planning applications for offshore wind farms that (a) have been approved and (b) are under consideration since 2010 broken down by (i) location and (ii) amount of new electricity that will be generated.

Graham Stuart: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes full details, including the capacity, location, and development status of Offshore Wind projects, in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD). Updated following the end of each quarter, an extract from the October 2023 version can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-energy-planning-database-monthly-extract

Renewable Energy: Community Development

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the contribution of the Minister for Nuclear and Networks in the debate on the Energy Bill on 5 September 2023, Official Report, column 281, when her Department plans to publish (a) an annual report on community energy and (b) a consultation on the potential barriers facing the sector.

Graham Stuart: The Government is working with the Community Energy Contact Group on the content of the annual report and consultation. Whilst it hopes to publish these products as soon as possible, until these discussions have concluded the Government is unable to outline a definitive timeline.

Solar Power: China

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made an estimate of the percentage of installed solar panels that were imported from China in 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Department does not hold information on the percentage of solar panels installed in the UK that were imported from China in 2022.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Internet: Abuse and Harassment

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to reduce online (a) harassment and abuse on social media and (b) other online harms for teenagers and young people.

Saqib Bhatti: Under the Online Safety Act, services likely to be accessed by children must protect children from legal content that presents a risk of harm. This includes cyberbullying and online abuse and harassment, which has been designated as ‘priority content that is harmful to children’. Companies must assess the risk to children from this kind of content and implement proportionate and age-appropriate protections. All in-scope companies must tackle illegal content, including illegal abuse and harassment. Adult users of services designated as Category 1 will have greater control over the content they are exposed to.

Gender Based Violence

Nick Fletcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to (a) page 8 of the Home Office's Tackling violence against women and girls strategy, published July 2021 and (b) Section 54 of the Online Safety Act 2023, whether men and boys are included within Ofcom's guidance on protecting women and girls.

Saqib Bhatti: The phrase Violence Against Women and Girls (otherwise known as ‘VAWG’) is an umbrella term used by the Government, which refers to acts of violence or abuse that we know disproportionately affect women and girls. This definition is set out in our 2021 Tackling VAWG Strategy which seeks to support all victims of these crimes, including male victims. The Online Safety Act takes an approach which will protect all users online, which includes men and boys. The section 54 guidance is a summary document, pulling together measures that protect users from content and abuse as set out in the Act, that disproportionately affects women and girls, but do not only affect women and girls.

Internet: Women

Nick Fletcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to Section 54 of the Online Safety Act 2023, what guidance Ofcom issues to media providers on the type of (a) content and (b) activity that disproportionately affects women and girls.

Saqib Bhatti: Ofcom will produce guidance which will summarise in one clear place measures that can be taken to tackle the abuse that women and girls disproportionately face online. The guidance will capture online activity and content as set out in the Act, including the priority offences, the priority harms to children, and relevant content and activity subject to the Category 1 duties. Ofcom’s timelines for producing the guidance are set out in its implementation plan which was published on 26 October 2023.

Electric Vehicles

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to help increase domestic micro-mobility (a) research and (b) manufacturing.

Andrew Griffith: Micromobility vehicles are zero emission, small, convenient and cheap compared to cars and present an opportunity for British businesses to create new products with global appeal. That is why Innovate UK and the Connected Place Catapult co-founded and created the Micro-Mobility forum, helping to maximise the industrial and economic opportunity of micro mobility for the UK. Innovate UK commissioned research published in April 2021: “Micromobility in the UK: Assessing the innovation opportunity”. In 2022, The High Value Manufacturing Catapult published Micromobility - a UK Roadmap

Medicine: Research

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department provided funding for biomedical research using (a) live animals and (b) non-animal for (i) organ-on-a-chip, (ii) computer modelling and (iii) other technologies in the period between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022.

Andrew Griffith: Government funds biomedical and biological research using animals and non-animal methodologies and technologies, recognising that the highly regulated and limited use of animals in scientific procedures remains necessary for understanding how biological systems work, in the development of new medicines, treatments and technologies, and for testing chemicals to protect human health and the environment. UKRI funds research and innovation aimed at reducing or eliminating the use of animals in research, providing approximately £10m per annum for the world-leading National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research to drive the development and uptake of 3Rs technologies – including organ-on-a chip and computer modelling.

Ministry of Justice

Probate Service: Complaints

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many complaints he has received about the performance of the probate service in each of the last five years.

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times errors by the probate service caused delays to the processing of applications in each of the last five years.

Mike Freer: The attached table shows the number of complaints about the performance of the probate service in each of the last five years.HMCTS has significantly increased staffing levels in Probate over the past year to help process applications faster. The training and upskilling of those new and existing staff have led to applications taking longer in the short term.HMCTS have streamlined internal processes to cut down on administrative delay and reduce processing times. We are continuing to invest in improving digital systems and online filing capabilities so users can track progress more easily.HMCTS does not collate the management information on how many errors by the probate service caused delays to the processing of applications.Table 1 (xlsx, 19.1KB)

Cabinet Office

Neurodiversity

Bambos Charalambous: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the tracking of people with neurodiverse conditions on his Department's diversity monitoring forms.

John Glen: Diversity monitoring forms, which include the Enterprise Resource Planning system used in the Cabinet Office, use question sets in line with the Office for National Statistics harmonised standards. This is considered best practice across government. As set out in the Autumn statement, the audit of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) spending is coming to its conclusion and, subject to further work, the Government is streamlining EDI training and HR processes with a view to getting value for the taxpayer. As the Minister for the Cabinet Office, I will be outlining the final proposals in due course.